In the Shadehouse

 

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Spiral Gingers  Costus speciosus  

When the weather is tropical, our equatorial plant friends burst out with sweet florid displays.

Can be used alone, or as part of a tropical mix, under 10' high.

Delicate crepe flowers show up to celebrate your kids being out of school for the summer.  

C. speciosus Variegatus

Interesting form, with dependable, yet striking, colors through variegation.  

 


Dracaenas  Dracaena reflexa

Since we're on the subject of variegation, these two shrubby cultivars give it to you in distinctive ways.   

Members of the Agave family, there are more than forty species of dracaenas found throughout tropical Africa and Asia.

Dracaenas, in general, have a bamboo-type look (the plant marketed as "lucky bamboo" is really a dracaena), but will not grow to panda-sustaining massiveness.  They are typically quite hardy, which accounts for their popularity.  You can usually find a dracaena to fit in just about any spot from roof-top garden to cabinet under the kitchen sink.

Plant one in a well-drained location.  While they can take a wide variety of light conditions, they look their best in partially sunny spots, getting up to 12 feet high after a few years. 

 

Honoriae  

Song-of-India

 

 


 

Ivory Cane Palm  Pinanga kuhlii  

Clustering feather palm from Indonesia, with lots of good action going on, from strikingly-hued new growth, to attractive, slender yellow trunks, and festive seed pods.

The most fitting use is as an understory palm in an established garden.  Protect from cold and drying winds.  

This is a clumping palm, so when the trunks get too tall, you can cut them off at the base. New ones will take their place, allowing you to easily keep it trimmed under ten feet in height.

 


Bird's Nest Anthurium  Anthurium sp.

The native territory of this big-leafed tropical baby is the Caribbean and South America.  

If you are from Virginia and miss the look of tobacco plants, this one is for you. Don't try smoking the leaves, though; nothing will happen.  

 

The seed pods look like they are visitors from another galaxy, but fear not, they are just seed pods. 

 

 

 


 

 

Windowpane Palm  Beccariophoenix madagascariensis

Rare palm from Madagascar, prized for young leaflets, which are used in making hats, and edible palm hearts.  Its status in the wild was critical ten years ago; not sure how well it's faring nowadays.  It may be collectors like you that keep it alive for future generations to appreciate...

 


 

Angel's Trumpet Brugmansia x candida  Shrubby tree to 15 feet in height.  Hybrid of two plants of the genus, one from the mountains of Ecuador, and the other from lower-lying valleys.  It is now ubiquitous throughout the tropical and subtropical worlds, being planted just about everywhere it has a chance of surviving.
 

It reminds you of that time you spent in Marseille, in the south of France, in that little cottage not too far from the coast.  You were oh, so young, and full of dreams, and the angel's trumpets were in full bloom. Their fragrance carried romance on the gentle evening breezes.   

 

 


 

Tahiti Gardenia Gardenia taitensis

This tropical shrub, indigenous to the South Pacific, can be kept as a shrub or pruned into a small tree, reaching a height of up to 20 feet tall.  It has glossy dark green leaves, and splendidly fragrant white flowers that appear  regularly throughout the year.  

Plant one in a slightly shaded spot, protected from cold winds..

The fragrance of the flowers is dependably heavenly, especially in the evenings.  

We have some nice ones available now in 3-gal. and 7-gal. pots.

In Tahiti, this plant is called Tiare. The flowers are used in perfumes.  There is a flavor of  ice cream.  The ice cream tastes like the flowers smell, not like the flowers taste (take my word for it).

Tahiti gardenia is the national flower of Tahiti and has its own holiday.  The flowers are a very important part of daily life.

 


 

Philodendrons 

Philodendron sp. 'Burle Marx'  is a charming, low-growing clumper.  Very tough; does best in shadier spots.

P. magnificum is dignified and sophisticated.  If it could, it would wear Italian suits, drive a Rolls-Royce, and eat at the best French restaurants. 

Philodendron wilsoni develops leaves up to 6 feet long as it climbs up into the canopy of your palms.  This one, more than any other, will make your yard look like the set of a Tarzan movie.

 


 

Heliconia

Heliconia caribaea Varieties.

It's so hard to keep them in stock

 

 


 

Ginger  Alpinia purpurata

Left: Amazon King

 


 

Assorted Alocasias

At right is Alocasia plumbea, Metalica.

Below, left, Guinea Gold, about 3' high, in 7-gal.  

Below right, Borneo Giant, 6' high in 10-gal.

 

 

 

Last updated:  01/22/2008